Indore: A central Indian state plans to launch a program to sensitize schoolchildren about sexual abuses.
A report from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in 2014 put Madhya Pradesh on central Indian state on top of list of Indian states for crimes against children.
A worried women and child development department of the state plans to print and distribute literature that will help children identify sexual abuse, set up a complaint box in schools and hostels to report such crimes, and teach them about good touch and bad touch.
According to the NCRB, reported 15,085 crimes against children in 2014. The cases of sexual harassment of children in the state (895) were the third highest, The Hindustan Times reported May 26.
India recorded a total of 89,423 crimes against children in that year. The same period also saw 4593 cases of sexual harassment.
“It has been our observation over the years that the number of cases in hostels and boarding schools is more as the child is away from the security of his/her home,” said Sanjay Bharadwaj, women empowerment officer of Indore district.
Bharadwaj said an award-winning short movie on child sexual abuse, ‘Komal,’ will also be screened in most government hostels and institutes to shake off the stigma associated with child abuse.
“A lot of children who are victims of child abuse are afraid to report the matter to their parents as they feel they are at fault. By using an animated character ‘Komal’ it is easier to disseminate the message,” he said.
Children even at the primary level are also being involved in this drive.
Bharadwaj said his department has placed a complaint box in areas where students from grades 9 to 12 can write and complain about abuses. “These boxes will be opened once in 15 days and letters will be going directly to the child welfare department,” he said.